Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies in Rainfed Agriculture

Climate change impacts on agriculture have been dealt at several national and international fora wherein it has always been indicated as a vulnerable ecosystem to climate change and reports do indicate that these ecosystems to contribute to the growing CO₂ level in the atmosphere, whilst a few studies do establish negative impact on the productivity of a few crops and also positive impact on crop movement along altitudinal gradient. With projected increase in water requirements, sustaining production in the rainfed areas is a challenge and in a country like India where a major junk of agricultural practices are monsoon-dependent, and has a strong socio-cultural and socio-economic bondages with farms and farming communities. Within the paradox of climate resilience in agriculture, opportunities for adaptation and mitigation strategies have been discussed in this paper with specific reference to rainfed agriculture.